Valve



C. W. LARNER VALVE Filed July 1,4, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVEN T OR Lw c. W. LARNER VALVE Filed, July 14 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 v l5 f4 g l im. y

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Oct. 13 1,925.

c. w. LARNER' Filed July 14 1922 VALVE [HIM '3 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VEN TOR "Kw-*BY TORNE YS Patented Oct. 13, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.,

CHESTER W. LARNER, KOE PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR 'IOI WILLIAM CRAMP & SONS' SHIP AND ENGINE BUILDING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF 1 PENNSYLVANIA.

VALVE.

Application filed July 14, 1922. Serial No. 574,887.

To all whom t may concern: L

Be it known that I, CHESTER W. LARNER,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and yState of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Valves, of which the following is a speciicatio This invention relates to flow control valves of the Johnson type and particularly to the control of the movable plunger element of such valves. The chief object'of the invention is to provide a valve in which the plunger element will have a fluid pressure operated control means outside of the conduit. A further object of the invention is to provide such -a valve which will be automatically self-closing at a predetermined rate under certain conditions such as a break in the conduit beyond the valve.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention- Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a valve and control means therefor, and

Figs. 2 and 3 are similar views of modifications. p

In the lspecific embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. -1 the valve comprises an outer body 1 forming an enlarged portio-n of the conduit and connected at the inlet end to a pipe or conduit 2 and at the outlet end to`a pipe 3. An internal cylindrical body 4 is supported within the valve by radial ribs 5 to provide an annular passage or waterway 6 through the valve and this internal cylinder 4 has sliding within a plunger element 7 adapted to seat against the contracted end 'of the body 1 at 8 to shut off the flow through the valve.

The plunger 7 is provided with an aperture 9, the flow through which is regulated by a pilot valve 10 mounted on a tubular stem 11. The stem 11 is guided at the kfront end by a bearing 12 integral with the plunger and at the rear end by a bearing 13 which is stationary and attached to the internal cylinder 4. Stem 11 has a rack 14 at the rear end and the opening through bearing 13 fits closely around stem 11 and rack 14, thus acting as a. guide and also separating chamber 15 from chamber 16 and making it possible to have different pressures in these two chambers. The pressure of pipe line 2 is freely admitted to chamber 15 through ports 17. The pressure in 15 is admitted to 16 through l,stem 11 and ports 18 whenever pilot valve 10 moves away from bearing`12 toward its seat at the entrance to' aperture 9. IThe pressure-in chamber 16 is exhausted through aperture 9 when pilot valve 10 is in theposition shown in Fig. 1 and the discharge of pressure is cut off when pilot valve 10 is moved forward to close aperture 9.

It is thus seen that as pilot valve 10 is moved forward pipe line pressure is admitted to chamber 16 behind plunger 7 and the exhaust from chamber 16 is simultaneously reduced. The forward motion of the pilot valve thus builds up behind plunger 7 a pressure suflicient to move it in the same direction as the movement of theI pilot valved until finally plungerv 7 seats at 8 and pilot valve 10 seats against aperture 9, thus closing the valve and stopping the flow.

The plunger 7 is unsea-ted and opened by moving pilot valve 10 in the opposite direction, the pressure in chamberl 16 being thus progressively reduced until the pressure on the noseof plunger 7 is suicient to. move it.

Fig. 1 shows plunger 7 and pilot valve 1 0 1n the final open position, the flow through ports 18 being entirely cut olf and the .l

plunger being mechanically held in the open position bythe contact of pilot valve 10 against bearing 12.

The movement of stem 11 is accomplished by aforked rack 18 which straddles rack 14 and engages an idler pinion 19 which also engages rack. 14. Pinion 19 serves to translate the axial movement of stem 11 into a direction at right angles thereto as shown by the drawing but it is obvious that this arrangement may be utilized with Y,angles other than degrees between racks 14 and 18 if desired. It is also obvious that other means well known in the art such as levers and be1l-cranks, Amay be utilized in place of4 the rack and pinion engagement. l

Rack 18 passes through la hollow chamber 20 formed by spreading oneof the radial ribs 5 so as to avoid communication between the passageway 6 and chamber 16. Rack 18 way cock 30 which may also be utilized to v relatively low pressure.-

exhaust pressure from pipe 27 through pipe 31 to the atmosphere or any other region of The upper end of cylinder 23 beyond the limit of the piston stroke is connected to a point in the conduit beyond the valve by -means of pipe-32. This pipe is provided 4rod 21 extends through the lower head of cylinder 23 the pressure inside the valve will be exerted upon thelcross-sectional area of the piston rod which is exposed to atmos pheric pressure and thus this unbalanced force will be communicatedl through the gearing and pilot valve 10 to plunger 7 and serve' to hold it mechanically in the open position. If desired the extended end 36 of the piston rod may be made larger than the( rod 2l so as to 'give an excess of downward pressure 'on the piston 22.

. If a' break should occur in the conduit beyond the outlet end of. the valve audrop Yof pressure will be communicated through pipe 32 to cylinder 23 and since full pressures will be maintained below the piston through pipe 27 the piston and connected parts will move upward and close plunger .7. llt is,

of course, important to regulate the rate of closing in. order toavoid waterhammer in the conduit and this is facilitated by locating pipe .26 in such a position as to be cut o by piston 22 soonafter it begins rto move. This permits the drop of pressure through'pipe 32 to take fpull effect and the regulation of the piston movement becomes I more positive since all of the displacement .of the 4piston must be exhausted through pipe 32 and while this is takingV place no pressureis being admitted Ito the same side of the piston. It is thus possible by proper setting of valve 33 orby connecting pipe 32 to cylinder 23at several other points @in the stroke,- each of which `may be separately throttled b a corresponding valve, to secure any desired1 rate orcharacteristic of closing. The stroke of plunger 7 maybe made slow throughout its entirel lengtho or the' part of the-'stroke may be made rapid and the latter part slow, or it may be graduated from a rapid start to a. slow finish as conditions ma require.

When p unger 7 and pilot-valve 10 are closed they may be heldin this position by hydraulic ypressure yif vthe circle of contact v pipe 2 between pilot valve 10 and the plunger is made larger than piston rod 21 as shown in Fig. 1. In that event, the unbalanced area v of 10 will be greater than that of 21 and *trom a\ ove piston 22.

When plunger 7 is closed it may be opened with valves 33, 34 and 29 closed, valve 28 open and pi 31. After p unger 7 has been thuslopened, however, 'valve 28 is closed, valve 29 is opened and pipe 27 is` connected to 24. The mechanism is set for automatic closing, with valve 34 closed and valve 33 open. l

The position of cylinder 23 is immaterial to the operation of the valve where fluids are used in the conduit but if used with steam thereis an advantage in placing cylinder 23 on the underneath side of the valve as drawn.- When so placed the cylinder will till with Water by condensation and this is a condition favorable to reliable ,regulation of the rate of automatic closing since the rate' of discharge through pipe 32 is more readily controlled with water than with steam. 1 v- It will also be obvious that plun er 7 may be operated by piston 22- and cy inder 23 Without'the use of pressure from the con duit in cylinder 23.- This pressure maybe supplied :from other sources and may be :controlled in other ways as, for example, byacentrifugal governor, the valve being utilized as a .thgottle val-ve in connection with aprime mover Suchas a water wheel or a steam engine or turbine.

In the modification shown in Fig. 2 the pinion 19 is placedv above the stem 11 and 27 exhausted through pipeI when the valve plunger A7 is open the rack *18* is in uppermost position instead of 'being in lowermost positlon as in Fig. 1. TheY rack, rod or piston is divided into an upper part 38 of smaller diameter andl a lower part 37 of larger diameter, the'cylinder 23 4and -theliston `22 being spaced from the valve bo y 1 by the supporting frame 40.

The atmos heric pressure on the annular shoulders 3 is overhalanced by the conduit v pressure exerted upward on a corresponding area of the lower face 32' and this excess of upward pressure furnishes the force to hold stem 11 retracted' and plunger 7 open.,

The pressure l'and exhaust connections to the cyliilder 23 will, of course, be reversed as shown.

In the valve shown in Fig. k3 the entering is in the form of an elbow and the nnuaire v cylinder 23, piston 22 and fluid pressure connections are similar to those in Fig. 1 but arranged horizontally instead of verticall t Iii the valve of this invention fluid pressure operating means controls the fluid pressure on the interior of the valve plunger 7 so as to move and hold the valve in any desired adjustment. The fluid pressure operating means does not directly move the valve plunger under normal flow conditions but simply causes the valve plunger to be moved or balanced by varying theinteral pressure within the plunger. This fluid pressure operating or control means 'i's accessibly posil tioned outside of the conduit, leaving the uconnections Within the conduit and valve plunger chamber of a simple mechanical nature.l The valve mechanism is also formed to be automatically actuated by the occurrence of an abnormal condition such as a breakin the line beyond the valve and the closing of the valve in caseof such an emergency is automatically regulatable to give the highest safe rate of closing.

1. In a valve for a conduit the combination with an outer conduit casing, of an inner body having a sliding plunger element seating against a tapered portion of said outer casing, said inner body and sliding plunger being formed with fluid pressure operating means to move said plunger and.

comprising a fluid ressure controlling valve within the conduit, fluid pressure control means exterior to said conduit for con` trolling said fluid pressure operating means, and a mechanical connection 'between said exterior control means and said fluid pressure controlling valve within the conduit.

v2. In a valve for a conduit the combination with an outer conduit casing, of an inner body having a sliding lunger element seatlng against a tap portion of said outer casing,'said inner body and sliding plunger being formed with fluid pressure means to move said plunger, an interior mechanical control means within said inner body for controll-ing said fluid pressure moving means and fluid pressure means exterior tosaid conduit for actuating said control means.v

3. In a valve for a conduit the combinaton with 'an outer conduit casing, of an ing plunger being formed with fluid pres` sure operating means to move said plunger,

and comprising a fluid pressure controlling valve, fluid pressure control -means exterior to said conduit for controlling said fluid pressure moving means, and a mechanica-1 connection between said fluid pressure operating means and said control means, said fluid pressure control means being connected to -said conduit to automatically close said plunger upon occurrence of abnormal conditions in said conduit.

4. In avalve for a conduit the combination with an outer conduit casing, of an inner body having a sliding plunger element seating against a. tapered portion of-sa-id outer casing, said inner body and sliding plunger being formed with fluid pressure means to move said plunger, an interior mechanical control means Wit-hin said inner body for controlling said fluid pressure moving means, and fluid pressure means exterior to said conduit for actuating said control means, said exterior actuating means being connected to said conduit to automatically close said plunger upon occurrence of abnormal conditions in said conduit.

5. In avalve for a conduit the combination with an outer conduit casing, of an inner body having a sliding plunger element seating against a tapered portion of said outer casing, said inner body and sliding plunger being formed with fluid pressure operating means to move said plunger and comprising a fluid pressure controlling valve, fluidpressure control means'exterior tol said conduit for controlling said fluid pressure moving means, a mechanical con-iV nection between said fluid pressure operating means and said control means, and a connection between said fluid pressure controll means and said conduit adapted to automatically closelsaid plunger at a predetermined rate upon occurrence of abnormal conditions in said conduit.

6.v In a valve for a conduit the combina- L tion with an outer conduit casing,l of an inner body having a sliding tplungerfelement seating against a tapere portion of said outer casing, said inner body and sliding plunger being formed with fluid pres- 'tion between sai sure operated means for controlhng the reled to seat againsta tapered portion of said' casing, fluid pressure means for moving said plunger comprising a movable member adapted' to control the entrance of pressure to Lthe space Withinv said inner body and lunger, and means for moving said memr comprising a fluid pressure operated means outside of said conduit.

9. In a valve for a conduit` the combination with an outer conduit casing and an inner body,l of a movable plunger cooperating with the inner body and adapted to seat against a tapered portion of said casing, means for moving said plunger coinprisin a valve openin to the interior of said p unger and conduit, and fluid pressure means for automatically shutting said valve opening to close said plunger upon. the occurrence of abnormal conditions in said conduit.

10. `In avalve structure for a conduit an inner body Within the conduit, a movable plunger cooperating with said body, an opening from the interior of said body to said conduit, another opening between the interior of said bod 'and the interior of said plunger, a partition between said interiors, and fluid pressure operated. means for controllin the relative lluid pressures on op osite si es of said partition.

11. a valve structure for a conduit an inner body within the conduit, a movable' plungercooperatingwith said body, an opening from the interior of said body to said between the inand said plungeraa part-1- openings and flu-id presconduit, another openin terior of said bod7 ative 'fluid pressures on opposite sides 4of said partition comprisingaconnection to the conduit ladapted to cause an automatic clos-V ing ofthe valve plunger upon the occurrence of abnormal conditions in the conduit.

12. In a conduit valve of the Johnson type l a pilot valve betweenthe interior of the valve vplunggr and the-conduit comprising a valve orts con- Y inem r having axiallyv directed. nected to be supplied fromthe llui way and surfaces closing said ports when said valve is retracted to open the connection between thev interior of the plunger and the lluid way.

said fluid pressure comprising a pilot valve V withnthe conduit, and fluid pressure operated means controlling said pilot valve and locatedv outside of said conduit.

14. In a conduit valve the combination with a valve plunger adapted to be moved by fluid. pressure, of means for controlling said iiu'id pressure comprising a pilot valve vwithin t-lie conduit, and fluid pressure operated means controlling said pilot valve and located outside of said conduit and having a conduit connection adapted to automatically actuate-said duid pressure means to close said valve plunger upon the occurrence of abnormal conditions in said ccnduit.

15.-Y In a conduit valve the combination with a valve plunger adapted to be moved by fluid pressure, of means 'for controlling said'fluid pressuiecomprising a pilot'valve, fluid ressure operated means controlling said pilot valve and located outside of said conduit and `having a conduitJ connection adapted Ato automatically actuate said tluid pressure means to close said valve plunger upon the occurrence of. abnormal conditions in said conduit, and means for predetermining the rate of' closing of said plunger.

16.' In a conduit valve the combination witha-valve plunger adapted to be moved by fluid pressure, of means for controlling said fluid pressure comprising a pilot valve, fluid ressure operated means controlling said pilot valve and located outside of said conduit and havin a conduit connection adapted to automatically actuate said fluid pressure means to close said valve plunger upon the occurrence of abnormal conditions iii said conduit, and means for prf-determining the rate of closing of said plunger comprising a plurality of connections between said fluid pressure'operated meansa'nd said conduit.

17. In a conduit valve of the Johnson ty e means for controlling the pressure within t l e valve plunger comprising a pilot4 valve controllingl a connection between the interiorof the plunger and. the conduit and having vaxially directed ports connected to `conduit pressure through a liollowed valve stem; and surfaces ada ted to close saidports ff .W 

